Black Algae - Up Date

Ok so for about a year now I've been fighting Black algae in my 75g community tank. Scraping it off the sides taking things out and cleaning and recently I have been using Algae destroyer but nothing has helped. It still grows back. Any suggestions would be helpful. Thanks.

There are some snails that will eat the black algae. Also if you don't feed the tank for a couple days and keep the lights off (cover the tank if necessary) as black algae will feed off light and excess food. Also do a partial water change using water that you have stored for a week in a covered bucket with the Stress Coat or Prime in it so that the chlorine/chloramine/amonia is gone as will be nitrates and nitrites which the algae feeds on.

Nerite snails can be purchased for a couple dollars each and will not reproduce in fresh water as the eggs need brackish/salt water in order to hatch, and they won't eat your plants.

Dave

Ok thanks so much. The nerite snails will eat the Algae? I've started leaving the lights off the other day but it is in a room where there are lights on in the room so I may have to try covering the tank.

I know they eat green, red and brown algae. I have heard they eat black as well. I have some black algae on the edges of my plant leaves and the shrimp, and Malaysian trumpet snails don't seem to eat it. as it is on the very edges of things it could be that the snails can't reach it as it isn't very big.

Malaysian trumpet snails and Sulawesi Rabbit snails also eat algae, and are live bearing snails so they are easy to control (sell rabbit snails for $6.00 each) and just remove the MTS and even sell them for $0.25 each. Also get some live blackworms to put in your tank and they will eat some of the nutrients that are in your substrate and provide food for your fish (by removing the detritis in and under your substrate your nitriate will go down thus leaving less nutrient for algae).

Dave

I told you I couldn't get rid of the Black algae in my community tank. Well after my ABN plecos spawned I put the female in the community tank. Guess what? She eat all the black algae! Yippie it gone !!!!

Good for you!!!

I'd recommend using barely straw extract regularly to inhibit it from coming back. Even works on hair/string algae! I use it in every tank.. Smells good too!

I may have to get some thanks.